New England Minimum Wage Comparison: How Each State Stacks Up

You probably learned about the minimum wage when you got your first few jobs while still in high school, as I did working at businesses in my hometown. When you're 16, you were quite happy with it, because you were probably still living with your parents and this money was earmarked for college.

There are different types of minimum wages: Federal, State, and Municipality minimum wages. Portland, Maine, has set its minimum wage at $15 per hour. The Federal minimum wage was raised to $7.25 per hour in 2009, and hasn't been raised since. State minimum wages are typically higher than the federal level unless that state has decided to use the Federal minimum wage.

How do the New England states' minimum wages compare to each other? Let's take a look at the numbers.

Maine

Maine adjusts its minimum wage annually based on a set formula, and has the third-highest minimum wage in New England.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is the only state in New England using the Federal minimum wage of $7.25, and it is the lowest minimum wage among the New England states.

Vermont

Vermont has the fifth lowest minimum wage in New England, but it's still significantly more than New Hampshire.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the second-highest minimum wage in New England.

Connecticut

Connecticut has the highest minimum wage, but it's also the second most expensive state to live in.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island is fourth in New England with an even $15 per hour.